CORRESPONDENT
SHILLONG: Residents of Rajaju village in South West Khasi Hills temporarily shut down a coke factory allegedly established without their knowledge or a public hearing, raising questions over community consent and environmental compliance. Led by the Seng Samla Hima Langrin, residents entered the factory site along Nongjri Road on Thursday, alleging that the Syiem had granted permission for the facility without informing the dorbar or consulting the community.
They sought the intervention of the district administration and the state government, citing concerns over public health, water sources and agricultural fields. Residents also said they had sought information from the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board and other departments but had received no response.
The incident comes amid scrutiny of coal sourcing by coke plants in the district. In August, a High Court-appointed audit committee headed by retired Justice B.P. Katakey reported that verification had not been carried out to establish whether coal sourced from within Meghalaya came from legal sources.
The committee also flagged gaps in compliance checks, including verification of the 2024 standard operating procedure for imported coal. The findings assume significance in light of the National Green Tribunal's 2014 ban on rat-hole coal mining and continuing judicial scrutiny of illegal mining.
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